Canon camcorder DC40 User Manual

							
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DVD Camcorder
Instruction Manual
Caméscope DVD
Manuel d’instruction
Cámara DVD
Manual de Instrucciones
Please read also the following instruction manual 
(electronic version on PDF file). For further details refer to 
the installation guide.
Veuillez lire aussi le manuel d’instruction suivant (version 
électronique sur fichier PDF). Pour d’autres détails référez-
vous au guide d’installation.
Lea también el siguiente manual de instrucciones (versión 
electrónica en archivo PDF). Para mayores detalles, 
refiérase a la guía de instalación.
• Digital Video Software
EFEsDigital Video Software Version 19
Instruction Manual
Manuel d’instruction
Manual de InstruccionesPUB.DIM-717
This instruction manual explains how to install the software, connect the camcorder to a 
computer, and download still images from a disc or a memory card to a computer.
Ce manuel d’instruction explique comment installer le logiciel, connecter le caméscope à 
l’ordinateur et transférer des photos à partir d’un disque ou d’une carte mémoire sur un 
ordinateur.
En este manual de instrucciones se explica cómo instalar el software, conectar la 
videocámara a un ordenador, y descargar imágenes fijas de un disco o una tarjeta de 
memoria a un ordenador.  
						

							
2
IntroductionImportant Usage Instructions
WARNING!TO REDUCE THE RISK OF FIRE OR ELECTRIC SHOCK, DO NOT EXPOSE THIS 
PRODUCT TO RAIN OR MOISTURE.
WARNING! TO REDUCE THE RISK OF ELECTRIC SHOCK AND TO REDUCE ANNOYING 
INTERFERENCE, USE THE RECOMMENDED ACCESSORIES ONLY.
COPYRIGHT WARNING: Unauthorized recording of copyrighted materials may infringe on the rights of 
copyright owners and be contrary to copyright laws.
DVD Camcorder, DC40 A systems
This device complies with Part 15 of the FCC Rules. Operation is subject to the following two conditions: (1) 
This device may not cause harmful interference, and (2) this device must accept any interference received, 
including interference that may cause undesired operation.
Note: This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for class B digital device, pursuant 
to Part 15 of the FCC Rules. These limits are designed to provide reasonable protection against harmful 
interference in a residential installation. This equipment generates, uses and can radiate radio frequency 
energy and, if not installed and use in accordance with the instructions, may cause harmful interference to 
radio communications. However, there is no guarantee that interference will not occur in a particular 
installation. If this equipment does cause harmful interference to radio or television reception, which can be 
determined by turning the equipment off and on, the user is encouraged to try to correct the interference by 
one or more of the following measures:
• Reorient or relocate the receiving antenna.
• Increase the separation between the equipment and receiver.
• Connect the equipment into an outlet on a circuit different from that to which the receiver is connected.
• Consult the dealer or an experienced radio/TV technician for help.
Use of shielded cable is required to comply with class B limits in Subpart B of Part 15 of FCC Rules.
Do not make any changes or modifications to the  equipment unless otherwise specified in the manual.
If such changes or modifications should be made, you could be required to stop operation of the equipment.
Canon U.S.A. Inc.
One Canon Plaza, Lake Success, NY 11042, U.S.A.
Tel No. (516)328-5600
CAUTION:
TO PREVENT ELECTRIC SHOCK, MATCH WIDE BLADE OF PLUG TO WIDE SLOT, 
FULLY INSERT.
Important Warning
CAUTION:
TO REDUCE THE RISK OF ELECTRIC 
SHOCK, DO NOT REMOVE COVER (OR 
BACK). NO USER-SERVICEABLE PARTS 
INSIDE. REFER SERVICING TO 
QUALIFIED SERVICE PERSONNEL.
CAUTIONRISK OF ELECTRIC SHOCK
DO NOT OPEN
The lightning flash with arrowhead symbol, 
within an equilateral triangle, is intended to 
alert the user to the presence of 
uninsulated “dangerous voltage” within the 
product’s enclosure, that may be of 
sufficient magnitude to constitute a risk of 
electric shock to persons.
The exclamation point, within an 
equilateral triangle, is intended to alert the 
user to the presence of important 
operating and maintenance (servicing) 
instructions in the literature accompanying 
the product.  
						

							
3
Introduction
E
IMPORTANT SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS
In these safety instructions the word “product” 
refers to the Canon DVD Camcorder DC40 A 
and all its accessories.
1. Read Instructions — All the safety and operating instructions should be read 
before the product is operated.
2. Retain Instructions — The safety and  operating instructions should be retained 
for future reference.
3. Heed Warnings — All warnings on the  product and in the operating instructions 
should be adhered to.
4. Follow Instructions — All operating and  maintenance instructions should be 
followed.
5. Cleaning — Unplug this product from the  wall outlet before cleaning. Do not use 
liquid or aerosol cleaners. The product 
should be cleaned only as recommended 
in this manual.
6. Accessories — Do not use accessories  not  recommended in this manual as they 
may be hazardous.
7. Avoid magnetic or electric fields — Do not  use the camera close to TV transmitters, 
portable communication devices or other 
sources of electric or magnetic radiation. 
They may cause picture interference, or 
permanently damage the camera.
8. Water and Moisture — Hazard of electric  shock — Do not use this product near 
water or in rainy/moist situations.
9. Placing or Moving — Do not place on an  unstable cart, stand, tripod, bracket or 
table. The  product may fall, causing 
serious injury to a child or adult, and 
serious damage to the 
product.
A product and cart 
combination should be 
moved with care. Quick 
stops, excessive force, 
and uneven surfaces may 
cause the product and 
cart combination to 
overturn. 10. Power Sources — The CA-570 Compact 
Power Adapter should be operated only 
from the type of power source indicated 
on the marking label. If you are not sure of 
the type of power supply to your home, 
consult your product dealer or local power 
company. Regarding other power sources 
such as battery power, refer to instructions 
in this manual.
11. Polarization — The CA-570 Compact  Power Adapter is equipped with a 
polarized 2-prong plug (a plug having one 
blade wider than the other).
The 2-prong polarized plug will fit into the 
power outlet only one way. This is a safety 
feature. If you are unable to insert the plug 
fully into the outlet, try reversing the plug. 
If the plug still fails to fit, contact your 
electrician to replace your obsolete outlet. 
Do not defeat the safety purpose of the 
polarized plug.
12. Power Cord Protection — Power cords  should be routed so that they are not likely 
to be walked on or pinched by items 
placed upon or against them. Pay 
particular attention to plugs and the point 
from which the cords exit the product.
13. Outdoor Antenna Grounding — If an  outside antenna is connected to the 
product, be sure the antenna is grounded 
so as to provide some protection against 
voltage surges and built-up static charges. 
Section 810 of the National Electrical 
Code, ANSI / NFPA No. 70—1984, 
provides information with respect to 
proper grounding of the mast and 
supporting structure, grounding of the 
lead-in wire to an antenna discharge unit, 
size of grounding conductors, location of 
antenna discharge unit, connection to 
grounding electrodes, and requirements 
for the grounding electrode. See figure 1.  
						

							
4
14.Lightning — For added protection of this product during a lightning storm, or when it 
is left unattended and unused for long 
periods of time, disconnect it from the wall 
outlet and disconnect the antenna. This 
will prevent damage to the product due to 
lightning and power-line surges.
15.Overloading — Do not overload wall  outlets and extension cords as this can 
result in a risk of fire or electric shock.
16.Objects and Liquid Entry — Never push  objects of any kind into this product 
through openings as they may touch 
dangerous voltage points or short out parts 
that could result in a fire or electric shock. 
Be careful not to spill liquid of any kind 
onto the product.
17.Servicing — Do not attempt to service this  product yourself as opening or removing 
covers may expose you to dangerous 
voltage or other hazards. Refer all 
servicing to qualified service personnel. 18.Damage Requiring Service — Disconnect 
this product from the wall outlet and all 
power sources including battery, and refer 
servicing to qualified service personnel 
under the following conditions:
a. When the power-supply cord or plug is  damaged.
b. If any liquid has been spilled onto, or 
objects have fallen into, the product.
c. If the product has been exposed to rain  or water.
d. If the product does not operate  normally even if you follow the 
operating instructions. Adjust only 
those controls that are covered by the 
operation instructions. Improper 
adjustment of other controls may result 
in damage and will often require 
extensive work by a qualified technician 
to restore the product to its normal 
operation.
e. If the product has been dropped or the 
cabinet has been damaged.
f. When the product exhibits a distinct  change in performance. This indicates 
a need for service.
19.Replacement Parts — When replacement  parts are required, be sure the service 
technician has used replacement parts 
that are specified by Canon or that have 
the same characteristics as the original 
part. Unauthorized substitutions may result 
in fire, electric shock or other hazards.
20.Safety Check — Upon completion of any  service or repairs to this product, ask the 
service technician to perform safety 
checks to determine that the product is in 
safe operating order.
EXAMPLE OF ANTENNA GROUNDING AS 
PER NATIONAL ELECTRICAL CODE
ANTENNA 
LEAD IN 
WIRE
ANTENNA DISCHARGE 
UNIT (NEC SECTION 810-20)
GROUNDING
CONDUCTORS 
(NEC SECTION 810-21)
GROUND CLAMPS
POWER SERVICE GROUNDING 
ELECTRODE SYSTEM 
(NEC ART 250. PART H)
NEC - NATIONAL 
ELECTRICAL CODE
ELECTRIC 
SERVICE 
EQUIPMENT
GROUND
CLAMPFig. 1
When replacement of the power supply is required, please return it to the responsible 
nearest Canon Service Center and please replace it with the same type number CA-
570.
The Adapter can be used with a power supply between 100 and 240 V AC. For areas 
where 120 V AC power is not used, you will need a special plug adapter. Contact your 
nearest Canon Service Center for further information.
This Class B digital apparatus complies with Canadian ICES-003.  
						

							
5
The Advantages of DVDs
With a DVD you just press the recording start/
stop button and the camcorder will find the 
empty space on the disc ( 33). Don’t waste 
time fast forwarding and rewinding a tape to find 
from where to start a new recording.
Never worry about mistakenly 
recording over a precious memory!
RECORDING
Just insert your finalized* disc into a DVD player 
and immediately find the scene you want to play 
back from the index ( 39). No need to play 
the whole thing or run the tape forward and 
back to find that scene you want.
* Finalization is a process required to make the DVD discs you recorded playable on 
common DVD players ( 98).
PLAYING
Just select a scene from the index 
screen!
Windows** users:
With the supplied Roxio MyDVD for Canon 
software you can easily create copies of your 
DVDs to share with family and friends and 
transfer your recordings to a computer for 
further editing.
** Windows 2000/Windows Me/Windows XP 
systems.
SHARING YOUR VIDEOS
For inquiries regarding Roxio MyDVD for Canon, please contact directly the 
customer support centers of Sonic Solutions ( 106).  
						

							
6
An Introduction to DVDs
You have probably heard of DVD discs and they come in various types and in two sizes - 
the more common 12 cm DVDs and 8 cm Mini DVDs. This camcorder uses 8 cm DVD-R 
discs (like the supplied one) or DVD-RW discs (commercially available).
So... what disc to choose?
DVD-RDVD-RW
Can be recorded only once. 
You cannot edit or delete the 
recordings.
You can record on it many times.
You can delete scenes or initialize the disc and start recording again.
Now that I have the 
disc... What disc 
standard do I choose 
to initialize it?
VR* mode
VIDEO mode
Once finalized, a disc recorded in 
VIDEO mode will play in most 
common DVD players. However,  you cannot edit the recordings. You can easily edit the recordings. 
However, the disc can only be played 
back with DVD players compatible with DVD-RW discs in VR mode.
* Video Recording  
						

							
7
Differences in Available 
Features Depending on the Disc
The camcorder’s features and functions available will differ depending on the type of disc 
you use and the disc specification selected when initializing it.
* You will need to unfinalize the disc first.
Disc Type/SpecificationFeatureDVD-R DVD-RW
VIDEO mode VIDEO mode VR mode
Editing scenes with this camcorder 
(deleting scenes, editing the Playlist)––85
Deleting a scene or still image 
immediately after recording it
–86
92
Initializing the disc in order to use it 
again for recording–90
Giving a title to the disc 91
Finalizing the disc in order to play it 
with a DVD player98
Adding recordings to a disc already 
finalized
–* 101
Copying still images94
Converting still images into 
Photomovie scenes 95
Editing scenes on a computer 105
•
Recommended Discs:  This camcorder’s performance was tested using the supplied 
discs and Hitachi-Maxell HG-series DVD discs. For use of other DVD media, contact 
directly the manufacturer’s customer support center.
• Attempting to record or play with this camcorder DVD discs that were recorded, 
initialized or finalized with other digital devices can result in lost data.
• You need to initialize newly bought DVD-RW discs with this camcorder before using  them for the first time.  
						

							
8
Table of contents
Introduction
The Advantages of DVDs ................................................................................5
An Introduction to DVDs ..................................................................................6
Differences in Available Features Depending on the Disc...............................7
About this Manual .......................................................................................... 11
Checking the Supplied Accessories ..............................................................13
Components Guide........................................................................................14
Screen Displays.............................................................................................18
Preparations
Step 1: Preparing the Power Supply..............................................................21
Step 2: Preparing the Camcorder ..................................................................24
Step 3: Using the Wireless Controller ............................................................25
Step 4: Adjusting the LCD Screen .................................................................26
Step 5: Changing the Display Language .......................................................27
Step 6: Setting the Time Zone, Date and Time..............................................28
Step 7: Inserting a Memory Card ...................................................................30
Step 8: Loading and Removing a Disc ..........................................................31
Basic Functions
RecordingRecording Movies ..........................................................................................33
Recording Still Images ...................................................................................35
Zooming.........................................................................................................37
Selecting the Aspect Ratio of your Recordings (16:9 Widescreen or 4:3).....38
Playback Playing Back Movies .....................................................................................39
Viewing Still Images.......................................................................................41
Adjusting the Volume .....................................................................................43
Magnifying the Image ....................................................................................44
Selecting the Recording Data Display ...........................................................45
Advanced Features
Recording ProgramsUsing the Recording Programs .....................................................................46
Selecting the Recording Program..................................................................47
Using the   Night and   Super Night Modes ..............................................48 Using the Special Scene Modes ............................................................49
 Using the Program AE Mode ....................................................................50  Using the Shutter-Priority AE Mode ........................................................51 Using the Aperture-Priority AE Mode ......................................................52
More Recording Options Manually Adjusting the Exposure ..................................................................53
Manually Adjusting the Focus........................................................................54
Changing the Focusing Mode........................................................................55
Using the Mini Video Light .............................................................................56
Using the Flash..............................................................................................57
Using the Self Timer ......................................................................................59
Changing the FUNC. Settings Changing Settings with the FUNC. Button ....................................................60
Available Settings List (FUNC.) .....................................................................61  
						

							
9
Introduction
E
Changing the Metering Method .....................................................................63
Setting the White Balance .............................................................................64
Applying Image Enhancing Effects ................................................................66
Continuous Shooting and Exposure Bracketing ............................................67
Creating Panoramic Images ..........................................................................69
Using the Digital Effects.................................................................................71
Selecting the Size and Quality of Still Images ...............................................76
Capturing a Still Image while Recording Movies ...........................................78
Changing the MENU Settings Changing Settings with the MENU Button .....................................................79
Available Settings List (MENU) .....................................................................80 Camera Setup (Digital Zoom, Image Stabilizer, etc.) .............................80
Disc Operations (Photomovie, Finalize, etc.) .........................................82
Still Image Operations (Card Initialization, Disc-Card Copy, etc.) ..........82
Display Setup (LCD Brightness, Language, etc.) ..................................83
System Setup (Volume, Beep, Media Select  , etc.)...........................83
Date/Time Setup ....................................................................................84
Editing Functions
Disc Options (DVD-RW in VR mode only)Creating a Playlist..........................................................................................85
Deleting Scenes ............................................................................................86
Dividing a Scene............................................................................................88
Protecting the Disc ........................................................................................89
Initializing the Disc .........................................................................................90
Changing the Disc Title .................................................................................91
Still Image Options Erasing Still Images .......................................................................................92
Copying Still Images Between the Disc and Memory Card ...........................94
Converting Still Images into Photomovie Scenes ..........................................95
Protecting Still Images on the Memory Card .................................................96
Initializing the Memory Card ..........................................................................97
Disc Finalization
Preparing your Disc for Playing on a DVD Player .........................................98
Playing Back your Disc on a DVD Player or a Computer’s DVD Drive .......100
Recording Additional Movies on a Finalized Disc........................................101
External Connections
Connecting to a TV and VCRPlaying Back on a TV Screen ......................................................................102
Recording to a VCR.....................................................................................104
Connecting to a Computer Transferring Recordings to a Computer ......................................................105 Roxio MyDVD for Canon......................................................................105
Transferring Still Images to a Computer (Direct Transfer) ........................... 110
Transferring Images with Transfer Order Settings....................................... 113
Printing
Printing Still Images ..................................................................................... 115
Selecting Print Settings ............................................................................... 118
Selecting Trimming Settings ........................................................................ 119
Printing with Print Order Settings ................................................................120  
						

							
10
Trouble?
Troubleshooting ...........................................................................................122
List of Messages..........................................................................................126
Do’s & Don’ts
Handling Precautions ..................................................................................129
Maintenance/Others ....................................................................................132
Additional Information
System Diagram ..........................................................................................134
Optional Accessories ...................................................................................135
Specifications...............................................................................................137
Product Codes .............................................................................................139
Index ............................................................................................................140